Thursday, April 16, 2009

Reason #3468 why there won't be a 4th child in our household

The first born child had organic cotton crib sheets purchased online from a swanky NYC boutique. Pale green and blue matching curtains hung from his windows shielding him from any sunshine during scheduled and enforced naps. A colorful mobile that was proven to be developmentally stimulating played classical music that soothed him to sleep.

The second child had the newest style of pink sheets from PotteryBarn Kids, the matching over-priced quilted blanket with pink embroidered flowers carefully hung on pale pink walls. Her windows were measured for the most perfect checkered pastel curtains that puddled at the ground. A simple handmade pink butterfly manual mobile made her swoon out loud with delight during not-so-enforced and more relaxed nap times.

The third child slept on hand-me down sheets both blue and pink until Mama saw toddler sized princess sheets at Walmart on sale for $7.98. There were no accessories. Her pillow was covered with a Dora pattern that was made for a pillow half the size. Hardly any naps took place in this environment as the Britax car seat full of gold fish cracker crumbs was a much more convenient nap area.


Proof: Click on pic to enlarge to see bulging pillow cover and mismatched sheets.
But, OH, how I love every single piece of her so very much! It hurts.



Next week, when she gets a BIG girl bed, I think I owe it to her to make a grand production of the redecorating. NO. There will be no more children using a crib in the OHfamily. Can you imagine what the fourth child's sleep area would look like?

Are you in Cleveland? Come meet me this weekend here.

55classy comments:

C and C Mommy said...

I love it!! I cried when my daughter gave up her bed and moved to the "big girl" bed.

I can't believe I am the first commenter--never been so lucky!!

Unknown said...

That is a gorgeous crib. If I'm having a girl I would SO buy that from you. How much for a trip to Texas? hee hee.

It's bittersweet, isn't it?

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

Yeah, the first always gets the good stuff, and the last (no matter what number they are) gets the shaft.

I love being the oldest child.

Green-Eyed Momster said...

I had 3,469 reasons why there wouldn't be a 4th child in our household. Surprise!!
Never say never unless you've seen the doctor to make it permanent, or your hubby has!!
You're so cute! Congrats on the big girl bed!! Milestones, milestones.....

I love your new picture!!

Hugs!!

Kirsten said...

What a great photo. My third child has hand me down furniture, but I spare him the hand me down clothes since my first two are girls.

There won't be a fourth over here either. The poor child would never get a nap.

Tyne said...

Funny... We have two cribs, two mini cribs and one toddler bed. As far as sleeping arrangements for our fourth, she sleeps with us, and will for a long time- so we don't have fifth!!!

Flea said...

Oh lordy. The fourth child would be sleeping on the bathroom rug, wouldn't it? Good call. :)

Unknown said...

That crib is fit for a princess, too bad we won't know for a few weeks if we are having one or I would so buy it from you. Oops looks like I might be in a bidding war with Elaine LOL

the mama bird diaries said...

Love this post. I still laugh over the VERY expensive crib bumpers that I bought for my first and never used.

Jeni said...

This was too comical and oh so true too about how each child gets a different shake in life. Now, start counting how many photos you have of Jay, then Lola, and finally Fifi. I've got a goodly number of pics of my older daughter and then my son when they were babies and toddlers but very few exist of my third child.

jen said...

funny ... here? the first lil' girl slept on a white sheet ... in a white bed ... in a blue (periwinkle?) room ...
she came early ... i didn't get the plan out of my head and into the room during the nesting phase.
second little girl? full out handmade quilt and bumper set, with matching blankets and changing table covers. i was ready for early but she came a few days late.
if there is ever a third ... i think i'll be in debt. or be incredibly busy.
and to comment on your post (instead of writing my own) ... that innocent little face against the beautiful green wall cancels out the imperfections of mismatched sheet sets.

Amy said...

That picture is priceless! I was the opposite - I got more expensive with each one. (am stupid)

But I never went past all out coordinated Pottery Barn. I absolutely coveted in a sinful way this one bedding set with my last baby that was obnoxiously expensive. I thought about it but couldn't do it. I knew too much. About vomit and leaky diapers and nose bleeds. (am not that stupid)

Stephanie said...

Such a beautiful picture. Mismatched sheets will never be remembered for anything but how "homey" it made her feel. I still remember this ratty old quilt we used during winter that had comic scenes on it. I used to stare at it for hours.

The one thing in that whole picture that makes me gasp is how beautiful she is.

And BTW, we put chicken in his big boy bed last week and he's done GREAT! I hope you have a great transition!

the planet of janet said...

so THAT's the reason that my no. 4 child has such a bizarre sleeping area! thanks for clearing that up!

carrie said...

Isn't it funny how everything changes from child to child?

She is a peach there in that photo, she really is.

Jill said...

I'm right there with you on the 4th.... in fact, I already spoke with my OB about having my tubes tied upon delivery.

And it's not just the mismatched bedding that the 3rd munchkin gets. I'm heading to the hospital with pink clothes - and if it's a boy, he better get used to frilly pink, purple, and baby blue hand me downs...

Seriously. :)

Amanda said...

Only my 1st born got all the new things ~ the rest got the hand me downs !

Hope your daughter enjoys her new bed :o)

l,
Amanda x

Jessica said...

I didn't even notice the sheets at first. All I could see is how stinking cute Fifi is! So adorable. I love it when I manage to take a picture that truly captures a child's innocence. My 7 year old is slowly losing some of that and it's so sad!

Karen MEG said...

Oh, but that crib is fit for a princess!!! Gorgeous, as is the princess in it.

I have to admit, I did go the Pottery Barn route with the girlie, even though she wasn't #1. Ironically, I think I went a bit crazier with her, as she was just that little bit harder to come by than her big brother.

Then again, I didn't get her room completed until after she turned one.

amanda said...

lol. so funny. caitlyn (our third) didn't even get out of our room until she was a year old...she was in a pack and play til then!! now it looks as if number four is following suit. he's still in a bassinet right next to me and will probably move to the pack and play if we don't finish his room before he gets too big for the bassinet.

Jessica said...

Oh come on! 4 would be an adventure that would provide all sorts of new "connections" :)

Also do know that my son, my 1st born, didn't have a "decorated" room until he was a good 10 mos. Although, now at 3 I focus so much on his room that my #2 has been shafted...yet again :)

Secret Mom Thoughts said...

Gorgeous crib. My little one is going to a big kid bed soon. I'm a little sad too.

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Oh, I just love the Sas on Fifi's face! I just want to squeeze her!

Oh, it's so bittersweet. When they are little we want them to grow up, and then once they start, we just want to bottle that innocence.

(BTW, my kids so aren't car sleepers, and I wish they were!)

Lisa said...

Please tell me that beautiful crib will turn into a beautiful big girl bed for that beautiful Fifi??? It's so wonderful it might make me want a 4th....

My friend had a baby on Saturday. Her 4th - and her husband had done the chop-chop....but never went back for the re-check!

Unknown said...

Our #3 Son has borne the brunt of the hand-me-down-itis in our family. Poor kid. On the other hand, how many other 18 year olds still have the glow-in-the -dark plastic stars and moon, they inherited from their brothers, stuck all over their ceiling? Things their brothers never wanted stuck on the ceiling? Which is why they were still in the original wrappers when he was 6 and decided he'd like them up. And they've been 'up'. For 12 years. Some 'hand me downs' never seem to go away - and I'm not sure I'd want them to.

GypsiAdventure said...

Funny how as with children...we relax and they all turn out out just fine.

Yay for her big girl bed..I bet she'll love it, no matter what the colors.

Indy said...

SO agree with Elaine. Are you selling the crib? We have one coming to us from friends in Cinci (since Mike threw our cracked one on the curb) but yours is soooo pretty.

Steph said...

who makes that crib do you know? I LOVE it!

Kim said...

That picture is the cutest picture I have seen in such a long time.. I LOVE IT..

Kelly said...

Awesome!!! Once again! I have a feeling that my daughter will be getting a hand-me-down Cars toddler bed! :) At least my husband is a graphic designer and can probably replace the cars sticker with something girl related! Maybe just a Sally car! :)

Courtney said...

Can't wait to see the redecorating. Funny how you just get more & more laxed in certain parenting areas as you add children.

Burgh Baby said...

I'm thinking we better stop with one, then, because Alexis never did get fancy sheets. I made her bedskirt, bumper, and a few blankets, but her sheets were Target all the way. Next one would probably get stuck with Dollar Store stuff.

Becca said...

How sweet! I swear that little girl is absolutely beautiful!

I will never make it to four. I doubt we will even make it to three, especially if this little one is anything like her wild child sister. I could not handle it! Plus, I would be seriously in debt!

2 Little Irish Boys said...

It is so sad when the crib is gone-I left mine in his crib till a few months over 3--more about me than him. He loves his big Boy bed!!

tiarastantrums said...

too funny . . . I was going to recycle the bedding for baby girl and my husband told me "no way - the other two had new everything - be fair."

the most hilarious thing of all - NONE - not one single child of mine EVER slept in a crib!! NOT ONCE! I have a brand new crib that no child ever slept in sitting in my basement.

If I get pregnant again soon . . . I won't even bother with bedding or the crib. What would be the point!

Jessica said...

Do you really even think that the 4th would be given a room?

Probably not.

I mean, to let your child sleep on mismatching sheets is awful and you allow that. What would stop you from keeping your 4th in the hallway?! :)

I think it's funny.

My grandma told me that she tried to keep scrapbooks for all of her kids, but the oldest children seem to have MORE stuff. The youngest don't really have anything more than a picture of themselves!

Why not said...

:0)

In my case being the first did not mean having the best, my parents begun with no much money but to their 3rd kid, my little sister, they could give her anything!

I did not realize at all, but my mom sometimes still tells me she would have liked to give me all the others could enjoy when they born, and I always answer the same, I was so happy I didn't even notice their beds/sheets/toys/clothes where better than mines.

Its more what parents care about giving the best than what kids do really realize. They only need toooons of love. If things don't match or don't cost too much...no big deal

I think the crib is great!!!!

Diva's Thoughts said...

Ok that is too funny.

Clare said...

she looks really cute in there though!! love the sheets:)

Kari said...

You are so funny! That crib is beautiful! I wish I had bought one like that for Charlotte {and maybe only just because I wouldn't have had to PAINT it for Audrey!} Yay for a toddler bed, though! Charlotte has been in one for 5 months now!!
That makes me sad that there will no longer be a baby in the crib!!
:( But I am sure I will feel the same way when I get to 3. But maybe, just maybe I could do more.
Anywho. Thanks for the easybake oven!! I am soo excited!

Blessings From Above said...

The "big girl" bed is such a bittersweet moment. Keep us posted on how it goes.

I have to agree with the other comments, Fifi's crib is beautiful...mismatched sheets and all! ;) Are you selling it by chance?

Tara R. said...

I can still remember giving up the crib, and it was a few more years ago for us. I hope Fifi loves her big girl bed!

MommyTime said...

Of course she doesn't need the whole nine yards, but if you want to do a little something, may I recommend IKEA? We got very nice, soft cotton sheets there ($10 for a set for a twin bed!) in solid colors, plus an ADORABLE coordinating duvet cover when my little one moved to her big girl bed. I went all nuts and spent am bit extra on a mosquito netting "princess canopy" for the bed, and it looks beautiful. I

Valreegrl said...

Ah, the last. So sad, yet not :)

But, I totally feel the one's that come after the first are much more laid back. It's the first...the one you worked the schedule around for naps that can't handle stress.

Anonymous said...

LOL. I don't think my 3rd child owns anything that is her own, poor thing.
It seems to be that way with everything:
- no1 has full memory box photos and trinkets, no2 has a few items in a makeshift memory box, no3 doesn't even have a box, maybe a few things stuck in a drawer. I'm sure it will all come out in therapy sessions later in life.
No 4th child in our house either.
Cheers,

Anonymous said...

My gosh...I've only got 2 and I feel like she's already gotten the crap end of the stick! A 3rd would be sleeping in a box in the garage!

Andrea said...

Yeah...we're all about hand me downs around here too - but oh that is a precious pic of your daughter!!

Zoeyjane said...

I still think it looks gorgeous. Mind you, my one kiddo has never had anything matching (on purpose, because I'm anti-conformist [and cheap]) and now sleeps in my bed, which does match (except for her pillow case and blanket.

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

I cried when My Baby moved into her real bed. I even wrote a post dedicated to her crib... She's grown up way too fast. I don't think I'll ever get used to it....

Executive Momma said...

I am a new blogger and first time commenter. The crib is goregous!! I have enjoyed your blog so much.

anymommy said...

You have a great attitude. I think I'll have a hard time when this last one leaves the crib behind.

Amy said...

Funny enough, it was kind of the opposite for me. The first two had cheap hand me downs and such. But when you start spitting out kids in your teens, that's how it goes!

Tiffany @ Lattes And Life said...

Yes,our standards do change, don't they? My third is due soon...and *she* will sleep on blue crib sheets.

Jaina said...

Haha, reminds me of what my aunt says. The first kid you sanitize EVERYTHING, etc. The second one you're a little more relaxed with. By the third one you let them eat nails. (or something like that)

Kristin said...

What a great picture! Found you via Twitter. What a great blog to stumble upon.

 

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